Infusion device



.lune 10, 1924,

J. H. SUTTHOFF- INE'US ION DEVICE INVENToR i ali/aff TORNEY Patented.lune IG, 1924;.

.n tenias JOI-IN H. SUTTHOFF, OF SEATTLE,.TASH`1NGTQN.

.INFUSION DEVICE.

Application led August 23, 179723. Serial No. 658,972:

To all fui/tom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN H. SUTTHOFF, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Seattle, in the county of King and State ofldlasliiiig'ioii, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iiiInfusion Devices, of which the following is a speciting the extractionof the soluble and aromatic substances from material that may ybecontained therein.

Another object is to provide an infuscr of `this nature'that is adaptedwhen open to be usedV as a. scoopto dip up material and that is furtheradapted to serve as a measuring device for measuring the amount ofmaterial -that'is beingY used, said infuscr being arranged to haveadjustable measuring apparatus placed therein if desired. j

A further object is toprovide an infuscr 'comprising a plurality ofsections hinged together in such a manner that certainsections lareadapted to be `swung or rotated within certain other sections todischarge or eject used material therefrom 'afterbrewing'an infusion. j

AFurther 'objects are to provide 'an infuscr in which the parts are allsecured together so'that they cannot be detached from each other and toprovide an infuscr which .is shaped so that the liquid in which it isiin- Inersed 'willquickly and easily penetrate all parts of the materialiii the infuscr.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Before describing the invention in detail I Ydesire to have itunderstood that the invention is'not limited to the particularconstruction and arrangement of parts which Iv have illustrated andshall hereinafter describe and that various changes may be made in themechanism shown without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention and that the 'phraseology which I employ is for the purpose ofdescription and not for limitation. Y

In the accompanying drawings Figure l,

saine substantially Ylied form ofthe invention.

is a view iii perspective of a preferred form of infuscr constructed inaccordance V'with .iny'invention showing the device'c'losed.j

Fig. 2 is VaV View in cross section of the on broken line Q-YQ'of Fig. lshowing'the device open.

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal mid-see tion of the saine.

Fig. t is a perspective .vien7 of a modi- Fig. 5 is a sectional view onbroken line -Y 5, 5 of Fig. 4, showing the infuscr closed.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view` similar to Fig. 5,

exceptthat the device is in a horizontal `po" sition and is shown open.

Fig. 7 is a sectionalview' showing aiiother modification of therinvention in which one of the side members is flat. I i

Fig. 8 isa sectional view showing another modified. form ofthe inventionin whicli'the infuscr is made up of one flat member and two arcuatemembers that are-arranged to slide one over 'the other.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a modified forni of the invention'in which'the vinfuscr is made up of a concave 'or recessed rear portion and twoarcuate front 'members arranged to slide oneyoverthe other.

Fig. 10 isa sectional view of the'infuser shown nin Fig.' 9 as it mayappear when fully open lFig. l1 is a. sectional vview of another4modified form ofthe invention which VVVmay be similar to the formsshown infFigs. l to 6, except that the inner member is aseg- .ment lessthan a semiecircle therebymaking it more easily7 cleaned.

become separated when not in use and which often become battered andbent up, in .washing with other dishes, in such a mannerlas to renderthem difficult to put together again. These two part devicesl `areofteir relatively deep and small, makingV themgcomparatively hard toclean and are usually constructed so that they require the use of bothhands to' putvthem together. In de` signing my present infuscr I havekept'in mind the objectionable features above pointed out and haveendeavored to produce a Ydevice that will overcomethe same.

. Referring to `the drawings, throughout which like reference numeralsdesignate like parts, I have shown, in Figs. l, '2 and 3 a preferredembodiment of my infuser com- Y posed of two oval shaped half shells 12and 13 provided at opposite ends on the line of their major axis withoverlapping lugs 1-, through which extend pivots 15 that pivotallyconnect the two half shells together. The half shells 12 and 13 are ofcomparatively thin but strong perforated metal and one of said halfshells 12 is slightly smaller than the other half shell 13 so that sailtwo half shells may be turned one within the other. When the half shells12 and 13 are in the closed position shown in Fig. 1 the device presentssubstantially the symmetrical oval appearance of an ordinary football.

The innermost half shell 12 is provided with a iiXedly mounted handle 16having a shouldered portion 17 arranged to snap over the edge of theouter half shell 13 to hold said two half shell members in the positionshown in Fig. 1. lf desired a thumb piece 18 may be provided on theexterior of the outer half shell 13 see Fig. 2 to facilitate opening andclosing the device.

In filling or charging the infuser the same is opened as shown in Fig. 2and may be dipped into the material like a scoop or the material may bepoured into the inner half shell 12,` the outer half shell is thenrotated to the closed position and snapped into engagement with theshouldered portion 17 of the handle 16 which is secured to the innerhalf shell 12. The infuser may then be imvmersed in a liquid until thedesired amount of soluble and aromatic substances are eX- tracted fromthe contents, whereupon it may be removed and opened into the positionshown in Fig. 2 and the material contained therein quickly and easilyemptied or washed out. The edges of the inner half shell 12 fit theouter half shell 13 snugly so that, in opening the infuser said edgeswill sweep through the outer half shell and clean the same. The methodof filling or charging, just described, insures that the device willnever be filled more than half full thereby allowing room for expansionof the material when it becomes wet and also allowing for a freecirculation of liquid through the material at all times. The oval shapeof the infuser tends to permit the liquid to penetrate freely in theshorter directions, perpendicular to its major aXis. lf desired thehandle 17 may be long like the handle of a spoon as it may terminate inhook that will conveniently hook over the edge of a tea cup where theinfuser is placed therein. I

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, l have disclosed an infuser similar to the onedisclosed in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except that the same isformed of two half shells 19 and 2O of semi-cylindrical, instead of ovalshape, pivotally connected on an axial line by pins 21 and arranged tobe moved rotatably one within the other between the closed and openpositions shown in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively. A handle 22 is providedon the smaller semi-cylindrical shell 19 and arranged to snap over theedge of the larger semi-cylindrical shell 2O to releasably hold said twoshells in the closed position. As a means for measuring a quantity ofmaterial in the smaller semi-cylindrical shell 19 l have ilnovided aflat plate 23 having slotted ears 23 which are hingedly mounted on thepivot pins 21 so that the plate 23 may be moved into various adjustedpositions said ears 23 being friction bound or being otherwiseyieldingly held in such a manner that the plate may be moved by pressureof the fingers but will stay where it is set while material is beingdipped or poured into the compartment of which it forms one side. lfdesired graduation marks 24; may be provided in the inside of the shell19 to enable the user to set the device to measure any amount, thegraduations preferably corresponding to a tea spoon measure. rllhemeasuring plate 23 may also be used to aid in cleaning material out ofthe shell 19 this being accomplished by placing the fingers onthe plate23 and moving the saine around within the shell. lt will be understoodthat a similar measuring plate may be used in other forms herein shownbut that the same is not necessary to the successful operation of thisdevice.

ln Figure 7 l have shown an infuser in which the front is formed of ahollow shell 25 as of oblong, spherical or cylindrical shape, and theback member is formed of a flat plate 26 secured to the shell 25 bypivot pins 27 and having a handle 28 provided with snap member 29arranged to snap over the edge of the shell 25. The lower edge of theshell 25 is provided with an upwardly bent portion 30 forming a stop forthe plate 26. ln operation when the shell 25 is turned d own into aposition as indicated by dotted lines it may be quickly and easilycharged as by dipping or pouring material into that portion of the shellin front of the plate 26. After use the shell 25 and plat-e 26 may berotated relative to each other to cause the plate to sweep through theshell and eject all used material. therefrom.A

igure 3 shows an infuser substantially the same as shown in Fig. .7except that the front is made of two shells 31 and 32 are ranged toslide one over the other and each of substantially one fourth of acircle in cross sectional shape. rlhe back portion in Fig. 3 may be aflat plate identical with the plate shown in F 7 and. is connected withshells 31 and 32 by pivots ln iilling this infuser the shells and 32 mayoccupy the position shown, thus making a device that is very convenientto grasp and dip into the material. This device is easily and quicklycleaned in lthe saine manner as the device shown in Fig. 7' the flatback member being arranged to malte a complete and clean 'rigid with theinner shell 34 and engageable with the outer shell 35 is provided forlimiting the relative movement of said two shells in one direction. Whenclosed the several parts assume the positions shown in Fig. 9

and when open said parts may assume the positions shown in Fig. l0, inwhich latter position the arcuate back portion 36 may serve as areceptacle in which a measured quantity of material may be placed. Afteruse material may be ejected from the shell members 34 and 35 by movingshell member 35 downwardly over shell member 34 and then causing backmember 36 with flange 37 to sweep through shell member 34.

In Fig. 11 I have shown an infuser comprising two shell members 4l and42 connected for relative movement one within the other by pivots 43 theouter shell member 42 being of substantially semi-circular crosssectional shape and the inner shell member 41 being of less curvaturethan the outer shell member and preferably being, in cross section, a.circular segment, less than a semicircle and arranged so that when it isswung into the outer shell 42 it will stand away from the walls thereof.The extremities of the inner shell member 4l are bent outwardly as at 44to make a close lit with respect to the outer shell member and tofacilitate'the ejection of used material therefrom in cleaning. Oneadvantage gained by making the inner shell member in this form ofinfuser less than a semicircle in cross section is, that the same ismore easily cleaned than are the corresponding forms shown in Figs. l to6 inclusive, the wet and packed material dropping out or beingsusceptible to being washed out more easily. Another advantage is thatwhere the inner shell is to be used as a measuring device it may bedesired to have the same hold considerably less than the outer shell toallow for expansion of the material that is being used to more thandouble the original volume when wet.

Infusion devices of the nature liereinbefore described are especiallyadapted for brewing beverages as tea and coffee and for use as spiceboxes which may be placed in vessels of food that are being cooked forflavoriiig the same.

In the use of a device of this nature for preparing an infusion thematerial as tea or coffee is first placed in the infuser and saidinfuser is then submerged in liquid preferably hot water long enough ltopermit the dissolving out or extractionl of soluble'and aromatic matterfrom the material suflicient to suit. the taste of the user, whereuponthe infusion is poured olf or the infuser removed therefrom. After usethe infuser is usually emptied and cleaned before it is used again.

By the terni perforated shell members, as herein used I mean any shellmembers, as of perforated metal, wire mesh or the like, capable of beingfreely penetrated by a liquid and yet capable of retaining material,

as tea or coffee, from which an infusion is to be prepared.

' Infusers will preferably be made in various sizes the smaller onesholding only enough material for brewing a singlecup of beverage as tea,and the larger ones beingof sufficient size to meet differentrequirements.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings disclose what I nowconsider to be preferred embodiments of my invention but it will beunderstood that these disclosures are merely illustrative and that suchchanges in the same may be resorted to as are within the scope andspirit of the following claims.

I claim:

l. An infuser embodying .a plurality of perforated members pivotallyconnected for rotary movement one within another and arranged to form areceptacle capable of being penetrated by liquid.

Q.. An infuser embodying a pluralit. of perforated members pivotallyconnecte together and arranged to forman enclosure capable of beingpenetrated by liquid, said members being arranged to be moved one withinanother to open and close said infuser and to discharge materialtherefrom.

An infuser embodying a plurality of perforated arcuate members pivotedat opposite points and arranged .to swing one within another into openand closed positions. e

4. An infuser embodying a plurality of perforated members pivotallyconnected together andarranged to co-operate in forming an enclosurecapable of being freely penetrated by liquid, one of said members beingarranged to swing within another of said members to discharge materialtherefrom.

5. An infuser embodying perforated shell members of arcuate crosssectional shape and other members pivoted to said perforated shellmembers on the central axis of the same and arranged to swing withinsaid perforated shell members.

6. An infuser embodying two perforated shell members of semi-.circularcross sectional shape arranged to fit one within the other and pivotedon their common axis for relative swinging movement.

ill)

ico

7. An infuser embodying two perforated shell members of semi-circularcross sectional shape pivoted together for relative swinging movement ontheir common axis and arranged to be moved one within the other andreadily releasable means for securing said two shell members together toform a container.

r8. An infuser embodying two oval shaped perforated half shells pivotedtogether on the line of their major axis, one ot said halt shells beingslightly larger than the other whereby said halt shells may swing oneWithin the other.

9. An intuser embodying perforated shell members ot arcuate crosssectional shape pivoted together for relative swinging movement on acommon axis and arranged to be moved one within another and a measuringplate pivoted on said common axis and ar ranged to be moved into variousadjusted positions within one of said shell members.

10. An intuser embodying a plurality of shell members pivotallyconnected together for relative swinging movement one within another ona common axis, and devices within said shell members arranged to(zo-operate therewith to form adjustable measuring means.

ll. An intuser embodying two hal]c shells pivotally connected on acommon axis and arranged to swing one within the other to torni areceptacle for infusion material, a handle secured to the innermost haltshell and spring means integral with said handle arranged to snap overthe edge of the outer-

